Winter's Call
by StromLantern
Summary: Alfred's brother Matthew disappeared years ago in a blizzard.  He has made finding him his only goal no matter how far it might take him.


"Mattie, I'm cold!" He whimpered, arms wrapped around his waist, shivering uncontrollably. Matthew laughed, his chin length hair was being whipped around his face by the wind.

"Maybe you should get better at snowball fights then."

"C'mon, Mattie, let's go inside. I'm cold. Mommy made hot chocolate."

"You can go inside. I want to stay out here a little longer. The blizzard might be over tomorrow and I want to enjoy it while it lasts."

"All right, but come in soon, okay? We can play hide and seek. I know it's your favourite."

"Okay." He laughed again. His cheeks were slightly pink from the cold and his strangely coloured purple eyes sparkled with joy. Alfred turned and went inside to the family's cozy inn. His mother was waiting with hot cocoa.

"Alfred, where's Matthew?"

"Outside. He didn't want to come in yet."

"Please go get him. He'll freeze out there if you leave him." Alfred ran outside, eager to get his twin brother and go back to where it was warm.

"Mattie, Mattie, where are you? Mattie!" It was too late, Matthew was gone. The whole town looked for him frantically all night and the next day. They found nothing, just footprints that ended abruptly. When the snow melted over the next couple days, everyone expected to find his frozen body but none was found. Matthew and a small funeral was held which Alfred refused to attend. He couldn't accept that his twin was dead.

. . .

Matthew took a couple steps forward then remembered the rule that they were not allowed to go out of sight of the inn and turned around. With shock, he realized that he could no longer see the inn. He turned around and around looking for any sign of human habitation and found none. He looked at his feet to trace his footsteps back. He didn't find any and when he took another step, discovered that he didn't make them.

"Hello, Matthew," he heard from somewhere behind him. Matthew turned around to see an old man, clothed entirely in furs, with a grizzly beard but sharp purple eyes.

"H-how do you know m-my name?" No sooner was the question out of his mouth before he forgot it. He was transfixed by the snowflakes, seeming to swirl around the man. They were huge and much more complicated then any Matthew had seen before. He caught one and was surprised when it didn't melt. He brought it closer to his face to examine but his breath blew it out of his hand and into the wind. He giggled and reached out for another one. He had almost forgot the man was there until he spoke again.

"Do you like snow?" Matthew nodded energetically.

"I love the snow. Winter is my favourite season. It's so pretty."

"Matthew, would you like a present?"

"My parents told me not to accept presents from strangers."

"But this is the most beautiful snowflake ever. It will never melt and it will contain something important to you. Just look at the design." Matthew's curiosity soon outweighed his common sense and when the man repeated the question, he nodded. The man smelled and put his hands together. When he opened them, there was a small rectangular snowflake, about the size of his palm. It was so intricate with different layers, all with unique patterns that it almost looked as if it was moving. Matthew gasped at the sheer magnificence and reached out his hand to touch it.

The instant the snowflake came into contact with Matthew's hand, it rose into the air and by some will of its own, plunged into his chest. Matthew stopped dead and fell backwards. The man caught him before he hit the ground.

. . .

Alfred had only one goal since that night. The goal was simple, rescue his brother. It was harder than it sounded since Alfred had no idea where his brother was and no real idea if he was even alive. But he stayed optimistic and refused to believe that Matthew was dead. And so began his:

Totally Amazing and Fool-Proof Plan to Save Mattie and In General Restore Normality to His Life and Eat Lots of Hamburgers and Maybe Some Pancakes and Maple Syrup, but Only if Mattie Makes Them, because His are the Best in the Whole Wide World, and Destroy Communism and Avoid Ghosts and Find an Alien Buddy and Do Anything Else that May Support Freedom and Hamburgers but Mainly Rescue Mattie.

Step 1 in The Plan, as Alfred wisely decided to shorten it, especially since he couldn't remember it all, was to get some money. He had started by scrounging for tips at the inn but as on average, he made about three dollars a day, figured that he wasn't going to make much money. His mom and dad firmly believed that Matthew was dead and dismissed his beliefs and plans as wishful thinking. Alfred couldn't describe how mad he was when his family momentarily forgot who Matthew was. Then his mom had a daughter and the family now revolved around her. It was obvious his plan was going anywhere while still at the inn. It was a stroke of luck that one of Alfred's inventions, which he created in his spare time, to do a variety of fantastical tasks, sold big and he moved to a foreign country to be a personal inventor for the prince. After years of inventions and a handsome salary, he was now rich. He sent home money every month, enough for them to close the inn but over time, he stopped including a letter about his heath, inquiring about theirs. The only person Alfred had told about his quest was Kiku, the prince. He proved supportive and was the one who found someone who might know who took Matthew. So Alfred journeyed there across an ocean, his homeland, and another ocean to an island. He found a person living in a small cottage in a forest. This was supposed to be who he was looking for. After knocking, the door swung open to reveal a blonde man with an irritated look in his green eyes.

"Are you Arthur Kirkland?"

"Yes. What do you bloody want?"

"I need help. My brother was kidnapped."

"And what do you expect me to do about it? Magic him back?" He snorted.

"I just need to know what kidnapped him and where to find it. Then I'll go rescue my brother." Arthur looked at him with a piercing gaze, then fully opened the door and invited him inside.

"Now, I need the whole story. Would you like some tea?"

"No thanks." Arthur mumbled something then put the kettle on.. Alfred relayed the entire story, starting with the night Matthew disappeared and ending with Alfred at Arthur's door.

"And it was snowing? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Did you listen at all?"

"If you must know, I hoped I was wrong."

"Why? What took Mattie?"

"If you'd like my advice, give up now. Your brother's gone."

"By gone, do you mean dead? I know he's alive."

"He's alive but he's no better off."

"Where is he?"

"I refuse to tell you. You'll get yourself killed. I don't want that to go on my conscience."

"Do you have any family?"

"Pardon?"

"Do you have any family? You know, relatives."

"I know what family is. I just didn't know why you were asking."

"So do you."

"I have a little brother."

"And if he were in danger, you would anything to save him, right?"

"He's a bloody annoying brat."

"Then you understand why I have to rescue my brother."

"Fine, but don't blame me when you die."

"Okay."

"Your brother was taken by General Winter."

"Who's he?"

"Close your trap for one second and I'll tell you. General Winter is the physical representation of the season Winter. He's by no means human. Winter is the most deadly season and the General reflects that in being ruthless. He lives in a palace made completely of ice in the far north. All the animals of the tundra are his servants and will protect him withe their lives. He can freeze you with one glance or kill you in a dozen more ways, each more painful than the rest. Do you still think you can challenge him?"

"I'll do anything to save my brother. But what would this General Winter want with Mattie."

"I'm not exactly sure. He's kidnapped children before and takes them to his palace. They always love the snow. Their families never see them again."

"Well, Mattie's going to be the first. And if there's any others, I'll save them too 'cuz I'm the hero."

"Err, anyway, I'll plot your route on a map. I only know the general area of the palace but it should be close enough."

"Great, thanks."

After a long and arduous journey north, Alfred finally spotted an icy spire of the castle. Alfred was freezing but he kept going for Mattie. Alfred finally reached the castle and entered. Once inside, it felt even colder than outside, if that were possible. He walked through the halls looking aimlessly for Matthew. He wanted to call out for him, but the vary air seemed stifling and he felt that if he yelled, his words would be snatched away After what seemed like hours of walking through empty corridors and rooms, Alfred found the largest room yet. In a chair or more a throne, sat a man, undeniably the scariest thing Alfred had ever seen. The man emanated the coldest aura and Alfred unconsciously shivered.

"Matthew's brother, why are you here?"

"I want Mattie back."

"No."

"He's my brother. You kidnapped him."

"So?"

"So I want him back."

"You can't have him."

"General." A boy's voice piped up nervously. Both turned to look at the boy who had entered soundlessly. "I finished the puzzle."

"Mattie!" Matthew didn't respond.

"Good. Why don't you take a break? Kumajirou was around here somewhere." Matthew smiled.

"Thank you." He walked out of the room. Alfred ran after him and grabbed his shoulder. To his surprise, Alfred passed through him. He looked in astonishment at his hands while Matthew continued out of the room, yelling, or his version at least, for Kumajama. Seconds later, a polar bear cub walked into the room. Matthew ran back.

"There you are, Kumamichi." He ran over and grabbed his polar bear and walked away once more. Alfred turned to General Winter, voice dripping with rage

"What have you done to him?" The man laughed.

"You're annoying but you're persistent and you look so much like Matthew so I'm going to show you something. I haven't shown anyone else." Alfred watched as the man touched his throne of ice and pulled a box out of the throne. Inside was something not of ice, but red like flesh and blood. As Alfred watched, it moved and he had to control the nausea that came upon him.

"Is that- it can't be- what did you do to him?"

For in that icy prison, beating slowly, was Matthew's heart. Alfred could tell it was Matthew's just like he'd always recognize Matthew in a crowd.

"What I did? Hmm, I just took his heart. I'm keeping it safe for him. It doesn't look like he'll need it any time soon. And the reason he can't see you, hear you and feel you is because with every puzzle he does. He loses a memory and leaves the human world even more. He's barely mortal now. He lives in an entirely different plane."

"You bastard." The General smirked.

"You should be glad I let you see him. I could have killed you the second you stepped into the Arctic Circle."

"What are you going to do to him?"

"He will stay here for the rest of eternity with me."

"Why?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you."

"What happened to all the other kids you've captured?"

"They're dead."

"Are you going to kill Mattie too?"

"I will not kill him. I gave those children the option between living forever in this fortress or death. It's not my fault what they picked."

"Yes it is. Its because of your imprisonment that they wanted to die. If you would have left them with their families, they would be happy."

"You're boring me. You can leave now or die."

"Then let me have Mattie. . . and his heart too."

"No."

"If you're going to kill me, why haven't you done so already?"

"Because it's amusing me to keep you alive."

"Uh-huh, sure."

"You interest me. I will tell you something. You can have Matthew back and his heart if you can find someone for me and bring him hear."

"Seriously, great. Who?"

"I'm not making it easy for you. I will tell you this. He is the one person to escape from this castle alive."

"Fine. This reindeer will give you transport until the end of my realm. Now go." Alfred hopped on the reindeer that walked into the cavern, resisting the urge to say Yeehaw! as he did so. He couldn't help but be optimistic as the reindeer galloped out of the castle. It was all good.

The General dude had promised that he would let Mattie go as long as he found this guy. Plus if he was the only one who escaped from the castle, he could tell him what to do to save Mattie. Great! Plus, he could finally find somewhere to warm up, he was freezing. He noticed with a jolt that the reindeer was now flying. He rubbed his hands together to sustain warmth and tried to think about hot things like hot cocoa, the beach, summer, picnics, the sun, and more.

Surprisingly, he actually felt a little warmer and when the reindeer dropped him off without ceremony, read: Alfred fell off and landed on his butt, he still felt cold but not to the same degree of course. Alfred attributed it to getting further away from General Winter and further south. Maybe the reindeer liked him or maybe it was secretly working for Santa, as was Alfred's opinion, but whatever the reason for it's benevolence Alfred was dropped only a couple feet away from a small home. He could see a fire in the window and it radiated warmth. He immediately headed for the cottage, trying to contain his excitement.

. . .

I went ahead and published this after months of incubation. Its probably the closest thing I'll get to a children's story. Its inspired by the ice queen. Hope you like it. Review to let me know what you think and what you think should happen.


End file.
